Xiaomi today launched its first Android Go smartphone Redmi Go in India today. The Redmi Go comes to India at a price of Rs. 4,499 with features like a 5-inch HD screen, Snapdragon 425 processor, 8MP rear camera, and 4G VoLTE support.
HMD Global also announced it’s latest Android Go Edition phone Nokia 1 Plus at MWC 2019 event last month. It is the successor to last year’s Nokia 1 and comes with features like a 5.45-inch FWVGA+ display, MediaTek MT6739 processor, and Android 9.0 Pie Go Edition.
The Nokia 1 Plus price has been set at $99 (Rs. 7,030 approx.) but it should come to India at a slightly lower price. Both the phones are targeted at first time Android phone buyers, so let’s find out which one should be your first Android phone.
Redmi Go Vs Nokia 1 Plus Specifications
| Key Specs | Redmi Go | Nokia 1 Plus |
| Display | 5-inch IPS | 5.45-inch IPS |
| Screen Resolution | HD 1280×720 pixels | FWVGA+ 480×960 pixels |
| Operating System | Android 8.1 Oreo Go Edition | Android 9.0 Pie Go Edition |
| Processor | Quad-core, Up to 1.4GHz | Quad-core, Up to 1.5GHz |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 425 | MediaTek MT6739 |
| GPU | Adreno 308 | PowerVR GE8100 |
| RAM | 1GB | 1GB |
| Internal Storage | 8GB | 8GB |
| Expandable Storage | Yes, Up to 128GB | Yes, Up to 128GB |
| Primary Camera | 8MP, f/2.0 aperture, LED flash | 8MP, LED Flash |
| Front Camera | 5MP, f/2.2 | 5MP |
| Video Recording | 1080p@30fps | 720p@30fps |
| Battery | 3,000 mAh | 2,500 mAh |
| 4G VoLTE | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions | 140.4 x 70.1 x 8.4 mm | 145 x 70.4 x 8.6 mm |
| Sim Card Type | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM) | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM) |
Design and display
Starting with the build quality first, since both the phones are budget devices they come with average build quality. Both the phones sport plastic body. Redmi Go is a little bit smaller, thinner and lightweight than Nokia 1 Plus, so it will be good for one-hand usage.
However, overall build quality wise there is not much difference in both the phones, except for a few changes such as speaker placement. Nokia 1 Plus has its speaker on the back, while Redmi Go has it on the bottom. Front of both the devices is similar with a good amount of bezels on each size.
If we talk about the display, Redmi Go comes with a 5-inch HD (720p) IPS display while Nokia 1 Plus sports a 5.45-inch FWVGA+ IPS display. Both the phones are similar in terms of display too, but Xiaomi has an upper hand here because of its HD resolution.
Cameras
Coming to the cameras, Redmi Go comes with an 8MP rear camera with LED Flash and f/2.0 aperture. It has a 5MP front camera with f/2.2 aperture and support for auto HDR. The Nokia 1 Plus also sports an 8MP rear camera with LED flash and a 5MP front camera. The cameras should perform the same seeing the same specifications.
Hardware
Redmi Go is powered by Snapdragon 425 chipset with 1GB RAM. It is a Quad-core processor which is clocked up to 1.4GHz. Nokia 1 Plus, on the other hand, is powered by MediaTek MT6739 processor with 1GB of RAM. It is also a Quad-core processor that is clocked up to 1.5GHz. So, in terms of hardware, there is not much difference as well. Both the chipsets are capable of handling the tasks of Android Go phones very well.
Software and apps
The Redmi Go is running the older version of Android i.e. Android Oreo Go Edition. While Nokia 1 Plus comes with the latest Android Pie Go Edition. This is the main difference between the phones. Both come with usual Go apps like Files Go, YouTube Go and all, and Redmi Go also has some other apps as well such as Facebook lite, TikTok lite etc. Nokia 1 Plus, on the other hand, has only Google’s apps. Here, Nokia 1 Plus is a winner.
Battery and connectivity
Redmi Go packs a 3,000mAh battery which is big enough for an Android Go phone. Nokia 1 Plus has a 2,500mAh battery which is also capable to run the phone easily for a day. In terms of connectivity, Redmi Go has dedicated slots for SIM and microSD. Nokia 1 Plus, on the other hand, has hybrid slots. Overall, we can say Xiaomi beats Nokia because of the slightly bigger battery and better connectivity features.
Verdict
HMD Global has not yet announced the Nokia 1 Plus officially in India, so we cannot say anything about its pricing. But if we see previous trends, Nokia 1 Plus might get a costlier price tag than Redmi Go. So, for those who are going to buy a smartphone for the first time, Redmi Go could be a better option because of its affordability, good design, and latest lite apps.
